Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Guatemala

Name: Guatemala
Address: GT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,642 in United States versus $792 in Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,256 in Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $1,719 in Guatemala.

Living in United States is roughly 234% more expensive than in Guatemala on average.

United States (98% above) and Guatemala (41% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $112–$1,281 in Guatemala. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$5.73 Q 43.70

242.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$50.6 Q 386

49.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$6.36 Q 48.47

81.92%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.42 Q 26.09

52.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.35 Q 10.31

84.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.05 Q 8.01

96.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.21 Q 24.46

84.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$5.32 Q 40.58

34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.92 Q 14.66

-43.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.72 Q 20.76

30.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.83 Q 13.98

159.02%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.33 Q 17.79

86.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$7.32 Q 55.8

73.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$7.89 Q 60.1

55.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$9.49 Q 72.4

74.92%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$3.66 Q 27.92

40.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.61 Q 12.29

5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.33 Q 25.41

33.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.51 Q 11.51

217.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.57 Q 12.00

86.62%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.84 Q 14.04

67.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.73 Q 5.59

204.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.15 Q 8.76

95.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$3.71 Q 28.29

166.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$8.20 Q 62.5

86.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.87 Q 14.29

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.88 Q 21.98

24.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.02 Q 7.75

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$13.09 Q 99.8

393.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.68 Q 28.08

2.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$9.91 Q 75.6

203.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.10 Q 8.41

-12.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.9K $29.9K

$18.6K Q 141.4K

60.96%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$22.7K Q 172.7K

15.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$210 $210

$59.1 Q 450

255.71%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$56.3 $56.3

$28.82 Q 220

95.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$52.4 Q 399

39.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$44.45 Q 339

2.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$25.14 Q 192

-14.08%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$6.62 Q 50.5

112.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$261 Q 1,992

427.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$8,177 Q 62.3K

173.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$50.8 Q 387

3.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$51.7 Q 394

-17.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$98.0 Q 747

-6.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$102 Q 780

11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$668 Q 5,095

164.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$435 Q 3,319

235.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,294 Q 9,868

120.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$709 Q 5,402

234.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$2,243 Q 17.1K

49.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,153 Q 8,793

131.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$583 Q 4,441

651.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

8.71

-25.26%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $219 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $717 in Guatemala City.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $703 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 647% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 115% more in United States.

Public transport is 2400% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 540% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

United States vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $697 per month in Guatemala and $3,259 in United States, there's a 368% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guatemala: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Guatemala across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Guatemala wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.